Hester by Laurie Lico Albanese

A 19th-Century Salem Historical Novel of Nathaniel Hawthorne, Embroidery, and The Scarlet Letter

In 1829, young Scottish seamstress Isobel Gamble arrives in Salem, Massachusetts, with her unreliable husband, Edward. Gifted with synesthesia—an ability to perceive sounds and emotions as vivid colors in her embroidery—Isobel is abandoned when Edward sails away on a merchant vessel, leaving her alone in a judgmental puritanical town.

To support herself, Isobel takes on custom embroidery commissions and meets a young, brooding writer named Nathaniel Hathorne. As Isobel and Nathaniel begin a passionate, secret relationship, Isobel uncovers the cost of serving as the muse for his classic novel, The Scarlet Letter.

Why You’ll Love This Book

Laurie Lico Albanese delivers a vivid historical reimagining of the woman behind American literature's most famous heroine. Combining early 19th-century Salem atmosphere with textile artistry, this novel appeals to readers of Geraldine Brooks, Tracy Chevalier, and Sue Monk Kidd.